Manifolding apparatus



1935.- J. Q. SHERMAN MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 8, J. Q SHERMAN MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 6, 1931 Sheets-Sheet 2 chines of standard Patented Jan. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to manifolding registers and writing machines, and more particularly to an apparatus wherein the manifolding impression is effected by chemical reaction resulting ,from the intimate contact of two chemically treated surfaces.

The use for manifolding purposes of chemical reagents such as gallic acid and a ferrous salt, which when brought into intimate contact form an ink, is fully described in Letters Patent to E. R. Gill, Jr., No. 1,781,902.

The present invention consists of an apparatus for utilizing such chemical process in a writing machine, autographic register or printing device.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and convenient means for adapting such chemical manifolding process to commercial use.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby a freshly conditioned activating surface is presented in writing position for each operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby one of the chemically treated surfaces may be repeatedly utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for periodically reconditioning the activating surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide means by which such'chemical reagent manifolding process may be utilized in writing macommercial types, such as autographic registers, typewriters, billing machines, letter printing and mimeographing machines. 3 With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully and clearly appear in the specification, the. invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view partially broken away of a typical autographic register to which the present invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through a writing machine such as an autographic register illustrating the relation of parts including .the chemically treated surfaces and the'means for reconditioning one of suchkurfaces. Fig. 3 is a detailedperspective view. Fig. 4 is a further detail view. Fig. 5' is a side elevation of a standard type of billing machine to which the invention is applied. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the writing bed thereof. Fig. 7 illustrates the application of the invention to a typewriter. Fig. 8 5 is a detail view of parts pertaining to Fig. .7.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

There are many chemical substances which when brought into intimate contact or association with each other, will react to form a visible discoloration or mark, or to form various kinds of ink.

In the Patent No. 1,781,902 above referred to, there is described a manifolding process wherein the under surface of an overlying record strip and the top or impression receiving surface of a duplicate or manifolding strip are each chemically treated by difierent reagents. whichwhen brought into intimate contact by the pressure of a writing pencil, pen or type imprint upon the overlying record strip will produce by chemical reaction a visible record on the duplicate or manifolding record strip. The chemical substances proposed for this purpose are gallic acid, tannic acid, salicylic acid, oxysalicylic or oxynesitylenic acid or their salts which is to be applied to one of the coacting and contacting surfaces. To theother contacting and chemically cooperating surface, there is applied a ferric or ferrous salt such as, ferric sulphate or ferric chloride either alone or in mixture. The com-' bined chemicals resulting from the intimate contact of the separately treated surfaces affords visible discoloration or an impression only after being subjected to moisture. For this reason one of the coated surfaces is preferably maintained in a slightly moist or hygroscopic condition. As thus far described the process and method of operation form no part per se of the present 40 invention, but are those described in the aforementioned Letters Patent.

While it is quite possible in a writing machine employing manifolding material formed in continuous webs or strips to feed one of such webswhen chemically treated over a moistening roller or under a moistened wiper as it approaches the writingtablet or platen, such method requires constant care, and the necessity of coating, not only the manifolding strip, but also the overlying original record strip throughout its .underside and if more than one duplicate copy is to be made the necessity for chemically treating both sides of one or more of the underlying record strips makes the process so expensive as to be almost prohibitive in competition with present carbon transfer manifolding systems.

In the present arrangement it is proposed to chemically treat .only one side of each of the underlying manifolding or duplicate record strips and to leave the overlying or original record strip 1 uncoated and to apply in lieu thereof interposed leaves of paper, fabric or the like chemically treated with the activating material so that such activating leaves may be repeatedly used and provide means for periodically reconditioning such activating leaves and'maintaining them in a graphic registers and with express purpose of extending the invention to include typewriting machines, billing machines, multigraphing machines, and type printing apparatus, 1 is an autographic register frame or housing, having in the top thereof a platen or writing tablet 2 over which superposed strips of paper or other record receiving material are fed from a superfolded supply stack or packet 3 within the cabinet 1. Obviously in lieu of such superfolded packet, the supply of manifolding material may be embodied in rolls. Various methods are found in theart for feeding the superposed strips of record material including an overlying or top strip forming an original record and multiple under strips forming duplicates or manifolding records. In the present instance, the paper strips are shown as perforated to adapt them for feeding over a pin wheel type of feeding apparatus. Ordinarily one or more of the strips are fed from the machine while a duplicate record is returned to the interior of the cabinet as at 5= This construction is a typical autograpliic register. However the top surface of each underlying or manifold strips other than the original or top strip, is chemically treated or sensitized with one of the aforementioned coacting chemical substances, preferably though not necessarily with the ferric or ferrous salt.

In lieu of interleaved carbon strips as ordinarily employed in an autographic register, there are in the present instance interleaved between the superposed manifolding strips, sheets or strips 7'l which have been chemically treated with the activating substance, which beforementioned is the gallic acid. While, such strips or leaves of material may be continuous and may be intermittently fed transversely of the superposed record or manifolding strips, to present fresh surfaces as often as may be necessary in quite the same manner as carbon material is now employed, it is preferred to mount these interleaved strips treated with activating material upon a spring actuated retracting roll 8 mounted in an enclosing compartment or trough 9 at one side of the writing machine or register. From this retracting roll 8 the chemically treated leaves 7 are extended across the writing tablet or platen 2, tea receiving roll 9 at the opposite side of the machine. These strips or leaves '7, extending transversely of the platen or the writing tablet, are interleaved between the superposed record strips where one such activating leaf overlies each of the sensitized duplicating or manifolding strips.

-Means is provided for withdrawing the activating leaves 7 from the retracting roll 8 and across the platen or writing tablet 2 to present freshly conditioned activating surfaces in intimate relation with the sensitized surfaces of the manifolding or duplicating strips. To this end there is shown a depressible plunger rack 10, the teeth of which have intermeshing engagement with a gear pinion 11 on the end of the receiving roll 9. Thus by depressing the plunger rack 10, the roll 8 is rotated to advance the activating leaves. These leaves may be held in their advanced position until their activating capability is exhausted whereupon another length of the chemically treated leaves may be withdrawn from the supply roll 8 and caused to advance into overlapping relation with the manifolding strips. However the preferred construction is that in which the supply roll 8 acting under spring influence will retract the activating leaves 7 upon release of the depressible rack plunger 10. The trough or enclosure 9 within which the roll 8 is located, may contain a renewal supply of activating chemical in a sufliciently moist condition or it may contain there only-.sufiicient moisture to recondition the leaves 7 and maintain them in active condition. To simplify the manufacture and afford a comparatively cheap construction the retracting roll 8 may be constructed in a manner similar to spring rollers for window blinds by providing a retracting spring 12 enclosed within the roller, one end of which is held stationary while the other endis turned with the rotation of the roller to place the spring under tension as the activating sheets are drawn off such roller, the tensioned spring serving thereafter to rotate the roller in reverse direction to retract the activating leaves when the pressure slightly above the top surface of the platen or writing tablet 2 serve to guide the activating leaves and hold them somewhat freeof the underlying manifolding or duplicate record strips until pressure is applied by writing upon the overlying original record strip. This pressure transmitted to the underlying activating leaves '1 press such leaves into contact with the sensitized surfaces of the record strips thereby causing dupli cate writings to be produced.

If it be desired to insure the operation of the depressible plunger rack 10, to draw the activating leaves '7 into writing position preparatory to each operation, a shutter plate may be pivoted to the cabinet 1 to normally overlie the writing tablet and be operatively connected with the depressible rack plunger 10 by means of a short arm or projection 15 thereon engaged by a pin or stud 16 upon the plunger to raise the shutter 14 as the plunger descends. pelled to position the freshly conditioned activating leaves 7 across the writing tablet in operative relation with the sensitized duplicate or manifolding strips before the. writing operation can be performed.

When applied to the standard or commercial "type of billing machine which ordinarily employ quite the same manner as before described. Likewise in a multigraphing machine or a type print machine employing a fiat bed operating beneath a cylinder carrying type for imprinting the over- Thus the operator will be com-- has been released. Marginal ribs 13 projecting lying record sheets, the platen or writing tablet 2 may be considered as such platen or bed of the mimeograph or type printing machine, the activating leaves 7 disposed thereacross serving to reproduce upon the underlying sensitized record strips, the impression of the marking type upon the original record strip. Likewise in applying the present invention to a typewriting machine instead of employing carbon paper or multiple ink ribbon, as has been well-known in the art, intermediate the superposed sheet about the platen roll, the ribbons pertaining to the underlying sheet may be chemically treated with the activating material, whichbeing brought into intimate contact with the sensitized side of the duplicate or manifolding sheet by the impact of the typewriter type will reproduce the written impression thereon without the necessity of ink ribbon. As

a substitute for carbon paper it has been frequently heretofore proposed to employ in a timewriter, ribbons intermediate the several sheets. However such ink ribbons necessarily require protection on one side to prevent an impression being formed upon the under side of the overlying sheet. The present method of chemically treating the interposed ribbon with an activating substance which coacts only with the sensitized side of the adiacent sheet overcomes the difiiculty heretofore encountered.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a typical billing machine wherein continuous webs of record and manifolding material are fed from a roll 18 over a fiat stationary bed above which a typewriting machine is mounted for to and fro travel. The webs of manifolding material from the roll 18 travel longitudinally of the writing bed or platen 20 while one or more strips of chemically treated activating material travel transversely of such bed as illustrated in Fig. 6. Such material is normally contained within a compartment 21 containing activating chemical and from which the activating sheet or strip is drawn transversely across the writing bed and received upon a receiving roll 22 at the opposite side of the platen or bed 20.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a typical billing typewriter through which continuous webs of manifolding material arefed from a packet 23 in the rear of the typewriter. These webs of material are fed over a suitable guide 24 and beneath a clamping bar 25 on their way to the typewriter platen. Intermediate each of the webs of material there is interposed a sheet or strip 26 of chemically treated activating material which is initially contained in housings or containers 27 from which the activating strips are fed intermediate the manifolding strips by the feeding actionof the platen or typewriter roll. These housings 27 contain conditioning material for reconditioning the activating strips. These strips are retracted into the housing 27 after each writing operation in somewhat the same manner as that iilustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. The relation of the activating strips and manifolding webs is that illustrated in the detail view Fig. 8. Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are for the purpose of illustrating the application of the invention to writing machines other than autographic registers, the method of operation, however, being the same.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the ginciple involved or sacrificing anyof its advanges.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventlon into effect and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A manifolding apparatus, wherein a plurality of superposed strips of record receiving material are intermittently advanced over a writing platen, a series of duplicating strips underlying the topmost original strip, said underlying strips being chemically sensitized, and. a plurality of interleaved transfer sheets chemically treated with an activating substance cooperating with the sensitized strips when intimately contacting therewith to produce a visible record, said apparatus including feeding means for intermittently advancing the record receiving material over the writing platenyacompartment having a chemical for reconditioning the transfer sheets, means associated with said compartment for reconditioning the said transfer sheets, and means for reciprocating the transfer sheets to and fro intermediate the record strips intoand out of said reconditioning compartment.

2. In a manifolding apparatus, wherein a'plurality of superposed strips of record receiving ma.- terial are intermittently advanced over a writing platen,including a series of sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost original strip, a plurality of interleaved transfer sheets chemically treated with an activating substance cooperating with the sensitized strips when intimately contacting therewith to produce a visible record, feeding means for intermittently advancing the record receiving material over the writing platen, a compartment for said transfer sheets, means associated with said compartment for reconditioning the transfer sheets, and means for retracting the transfer sheets into said compartment and means for withdrawing said transfer sheets therefrom preparatory to the succeeding writing operation.

3. In a manifolding apparatus, wherein a plurality of superposed strips of record receiving material are intermittently advanced over a writing platen, including a series of chemically sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost original strip, and a plurality of interleaved transfer sheets chemically treated with an activating substance cooperating with the sensitized strips when intimately contacting therewith to produce a visible record; feeding means for intermittently advancing the record receiving material over the writing platen independently of the interleaved transfer sheets and means for applying moisture to said interleaved transfer sheets.

4. In a manifolding apparatus, wherein a plurality of superposed strips of record receiving material and intermittently advanced over a writing platen, including a series of chemically sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost original strip. and a plura y of interleaved transfer sheets chemically treated with an activating substance cooperating with the sensitized strips when intimately contacting therewith to produce a visible record, feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing the record receiving and duplicating strips over the writing platen, a compartment having a chemical for reconditioning said transfer sheets, and actuating means for reciprocating the transfer sheets transversely of said strips into and out of said compartment.

5. A writing machine for sensitized superposed record material reactive to interleaved chemically treated activating sheets comprising a frame, means for feeding the sensitized record material independently of the interleaved activating sheets, and means carried by the frame for reconditioning the activating sheets.

6. In a manifolding apparatus wherein a plurality of superposed strips of record material areintermittently advanced over a writing platen, said record material including a series of sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost.

strip, said apparatus including a plurality of interleaved strips for supplying a chemical cooperating with the sensitized sheets to reproducea written record thereon, a compartment-having a chemical 'for reconditioning the interleaved strips, and means for reciprocating the interleaved strips to and fro intermediate the record strips into andout of the reconditioning compartment.

7. In a manifolding apparatus, wherein a pluralityof superposed strips of record material are intermittently advanced over a writing platen,

said record material including a series "of chemically sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost original strip, said apparatus including a plurality of interleaved sheets for supplying a chemical acting as an activating surface that cooperates with the sensitized strips when inti-r mately contacting therewith to produce a visible record, feeding means for intermittently advancing the record receiving material over the writing platen, 'means for retracting the interleaved sheets, a cover for the writing platen and actuating means common to the platen cover and the means for retracting the interleaved sheets whereby the movement of the cover to afford access to the platen simultaneously advances the interleaved sheets intov writing position.

8. In a manifolding apparatus, wherein a plurality of superposed strips of record receiving material are intermittently advanced over a writing platen, including a series of chemically sensitized duplicating strips underlying the topmost origistance co-operatingwith the sensitized strips ,i

when intimately contacting therewith to produce,

CERTIFICA'IE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,987,131. JahuraryB, 1935.

case in the Patent Oflicg. w i y Signed and sealed, this 5th day of March, A. D."l935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Commissione r of Patents. 

